Is bradycardia a sign of cardiac tamponade?

While bradycardia can sometimes occur in cardiac tamponade, it is not a classic or essential feature. Cardiac tamponade classically presents with hypotension, tachycardia, jugular venous distension, and muffled heart sounds ("Beck's Triad"). Bradycardia, if present, is usually secondary to increased vagal tone or hypoxia-induced myocardial depression. Therefore, the absence of bradycardia does not rule out cardiac tamponade, and other clinical and echocardiographic findings should be used to establish the diagnosis.